Talk:Usenet

Excessive Formality?

The article makes sense if you already know what Usenet is. Sometimes words have different meanings in different contexts, and it seems like here people don't use the right word because it means something else in another context. (??) For example perhaps; "forums":

"Users read and post messages (called articles or posts, and collectively termed news) to one or more categories, known as newsgroups."

To me, "categories" here has zero explanatory power. How about: "...to one or more forums, known as newsgroups." Or "areas of interest?" While "categories" is 100% not false, it does so be being excessively vague, almost meaningless in this context. (Being 100% not false, is rarely a compliment.)

Consider the rest of the article similarly. Wiki's goal is communication and explanation, not "100% not false."   Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without — Confucius,— or Perfect is the enemy of good. Excessive formality seems to be hindering clarity.   Usenet was/is used by ordinary people using loose, ordinary language, lace on a pig seems counter to Wiki's goal: communication. Engineers should not explain ditch-digging.
— Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:306:CFCE:1EE0:E454:D78D:E92F:E1E6 (talk) 21:37, 27 April 2019 (UTC)

Replaced my addition/correction

The article says; "reading the messages requires not a mail or web client, but a news client." That was true decades ago. I corrected by adding:

However, it is now possible to read and participate in Usenet newsgroups to a large degree using ordinary Internet browsers since most newsgroups are now slightly modified for copying to specialized Web sites.

That was deleted without discussion by a bot that seemingly thought I was using search engines as a source, rather than as a tool. I chose a dynamic tool rather than a source in part because of the fading and dynamic nature of Usenet. For example, while their were once tens of thousands of newsgroups, and those lists were published, many if not most of those newsgroups are inactive. Further, they applied to Usenet, not all the internet adaptations.

I replaced my addition without groups.google and my planned sci.physics.narkive.com reading examples to avoid confusing Twinkle bot, but explanation has been degraded. I hope somebody can figure out how to do that.

Part of my goal was to tell the Usenet newbie (Wikipedia's "general user",) that: "NO! You CAN read Usenet without learning or installing new client software! It's NOT DEAD and defunct!" ...which is also what the tone of the article says.

Frankly I see such deletions of other's helpful efforts, —with zero attempt to correct nor to communicate, nor improve the article — as vandalism, not by intent, but by moral negligence and abuse of authority. What possible excuse is there for that, to spit on me like that? That it's legal!? Please note that Guidelines say challenged, then deleted, not just ZAP!
— Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:306:CFCE:1EE0:E454:D78D:E92F:E1E6 (talk) 18:59, 28 April 2019 (UTC)

Repairing damage of another hairtrigger Undo

I just spent hours trying to improve the article, and it was ruined by another inconsiderate bot-powered speedy-user's Undo when I tried to update a now-invalid article. I dont know how long it will take to re-assemble the remaining parts, so please don't undo my undo, which I had to do to post my fixes and additions. IOW, how about some time? I may need to sleep and etc...

You might consider creating a temporary sandbox page for preparing larger edits. That way, the intermediate edits don't pollute the article history and don't invite actions from others. Rp (talk) 09:43, 2 May 2019 (UTC)

Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, I need to change my evil ways. Odd, I just got the second "Conflict" message of my life adding here. I'll add it below, I need to sleep now.

OK, I re-added what I could from the melted "Edit conflict: Usenet" page: "Someone else has changed this page since you started editing it," and seemingly one of the thoughtless reverts had disappeared, so I couldn't undo it. As in "Buggy Wikipedia." Still a work in progress, This could take a few days, please do not delete. Thoughtful manual improvements or suggestions are welcomed in the mean time. I notice there are wiki-bots for WARNING VANDALS, what's the deal, Brownie Points for Twinkle-bot hatcheting good-faith users 500 handmade bytes, 11 minutes after we post? Or as Twinkle users brag; "This user reverts...in the blink of an eye with Twinkle!" Like notches in a gun handle? There's something seriously WRONG here. All over Wiki Guidelines etc, it's implicit, assumed, over and over that smash-facing is not done without at least discussion. As in good faith. Anybody want quotes?